Maja-Ajmia Zellama tackles cultural identity and grief in ‘Têtes Brûlées’ 

Maja-Ajmia Zellama at the Berlinale. (Supplied)
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Updated 28 March 2025
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Maja-Ajmia Zellama tackles cultural identity and grief in ‘Têtes Brûlées’ 

  • The Belgian-Tunisian director discusses her Saudi-backed debut feature 

RIYADH: Belgian-Tunisian-Danish filmmaker Maja-Ajmia Zellama’s debut feature “Têtes Brûlées” (‘Hotheads’) received two special mentions at last month’s Berlin International Film Festival.  

The film, which was backed by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Fund, has been praised for its depiction of a universal story through a singular lens. Zellama wrote and directed the movie, which follows the story of Eya (played by Safa Gharbaoui), a 12-year-old girl growing up in a Tunisian-Muslim family in Brussels, whose life revolves around her beloved 25-year-old brother Younès and his friends. Following Younès’ sudden and unexpected death, Zellama takes viewers through the culture, customs, resilience, and solidarity of this tight-knit community through the family’s mourning period.  




Safa Gharbaoui, Mehdi Bouziane and Mounir Amamra. (Supplied)

“I didn’t expect so many compliments about the film from people who are not Muslims or not from immigrant backgrounds,” Zellama told Arab News. “I spoke a lot with a teenager from Germany, and I understood at that moment how grief is so universal. There are other people who say, ‘Oh yes, I’m learning a new thing about a new culture and new religions.’” 

Zellama also expressed her appreciation for the Red Sea Fund’s support of a “multicultural” story. “For me, it was a major recognition to have this help and support from a Muslim country. It helped me to make this kind of film, and I’m also very curious about working more with Middle Eastern countries,” she said.  

The film tackles aspects of identity, the Arab diaspora, collective grieving, religion, cultural customs, and commentary on street crimes. Largely set in the family house, constantly filled with people after Younès’ tragic death, one of the director’s goals was to show the contrasting comfort and simplicity of immigrants’ family lives compared to their lives outside of their homes.  




Safa Gharbaoui. (Supplied)

“For me, the most complicated part of identity and immigration is systemic racism,” Zellama said. “It’s oppression in the society. But in the home, it’s not always so complicated. There are nuances; it’s complex, but in a positive way.”  

Zellama’s own life was a major inspiration for the film. Her father is Tunisian and her mother Danish. She was born and raised in Belgium around a large Tunisian community. Her household was home to two religions and three languages. “The question of identity has been present all my life, of course, as a mixed kid, but also as a person of the diaspora,” she explained.  

And Zellama’s experience of losing a much-loved family member was central to the narrative. “When I was grieving with my family, it was the most difficult time in my life. But it was also one of the moments in my life when I felt the most love and solidarity, because we were surrounded by so many people who were (making us) dinner, going to the grocery, giving money,” she said. “So, for me, yes, there is the grief that we had in our family, but also — and most of all — the love.”  




Safa Gharbaoui and Mehdi Bouziane. (Supplied)

The film explores spirituality in a nuanced and open way, particularly in its funeral and burial scenes, inspired by Zellama’s own journey with faith. She was keen to have Eya find a kind of forbearance through religion while also providing representation and an alternate, more complex, portrayal of Islam in countries outside the Middle East.  

“Muslims are very different, and each person practices religion in a different way,” Zellama said. “She finds this way, and she’s good with it.” 

And the film has proven to cross cultural and religious boundaries, with viewers from other faiths and backgrounds connecting to its central themes. 

“Just to hear the Qur’an, (even if) you don’t understand it, you can feel something,” she said. “You don’t know what it is, but you can feel something. When you see her praying, you can imagine. And, for me, that’s enough.” 

The character of Eya is key to the film’s success: she’s mature, but also playful; she’s creative, clever, defiant, and works to break stereotypes throughout the film. One of the most affecting, and effective, scenes is when she breaks away from the group of mourning women to help bury her brother alongside the men.  

“I wanted to have a character who grows up in a lovely family who give space for this young girl to be what she wants,” Zellama said. “She doesn’t (think to) herself, ‘Oh, this is a boy thing or a girl thing.’ No, she’s doing what she wants to do at this moment.  

“She’s very impulsive, and the impulsivity was also an important thing in the character of Eya,” she continued. “She looks like so many Muslim women and children I see around me. So, this was not me making a ‘statement.’ It was more me thinking that there are so many strong little girls around me, and I wanted to have a character like that.”  


Britain's Queen Camilla celebrates anniversary with Italian pizza and ice cream

Updated 09 April 2025
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Britain's Queen Camilla celebrates anniversary with Italian pizza and ice cream

  • Queen Camilla is marking the 20th anniversary of her wedding to King Charles III during a state visit to Italy on Wednesday

ROME: Italians offered pizza and ice cream to Britain’s Queen Camilla to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of her wedding to King Charles during a state visit to Italy on Wednesday.
Camilla and Charles walked to the renowned Giolitti cafe in central Rome where the queen sampled an ice cream from a paper cup after the king had made a historic speech to the nearby Italian parliament.
Camilla had earlier been presented with a boxed pizza after attending an event at a school in Rome.
More formal dining will be on the agenda on Wednesday evening when Italian President Sergio Mattarella hosts a banquet for the royal couple at the Quirinale Palace.
Charles told parliament that Britain had been heavily influenced by Italian cooking. “I can only hope you will forgive us for occasionally corrupting your wonderful cuisine. We do so with the greatest possible affection,” he said, to loud laughter.


Art Week Riyadh: 3 generations of Saudi abstract art on display

Updated 09 April 2025
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Art Week Riyadh: 3 generations of Saudi abstract art on display

  • The Saudi Research and Media Group unveiled a compelling collection at the inaugural art festival

RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group unveiled a compelling collection at the inaugural Art Week Riyadh that traces the evolution of Saudi abstraction.

Titled “Abstract Horizons,” it highlights the pioneering contributions of artists like Mohammed Al-Saleem and Abdulhalim Radwi, whose work helped lay the groundwork for the Kingdom’s contemporary art movement.

Borrowing its name from Mohammed Al-Saleem’s seminal work, the collection takes a unique approach, emphasizing the shifting aesthetic and intellectual currents of the Kingdom through the abstract practices of three generations of Saudi artists. (AN Photo by Nada Alturki)

Borrowing its name from Al-Saleem’s seminal work, the collection takes a unique approach, emphasizing the shifting aesthetic and intellectual currents of the Kingdom through the abstract practices of three generations of Saudi artists.

The exhibition seamlessly flows from the early beginnings with artists born in the 1930s and 1940s, whose work predominantly emerged in the 1990s: Radwi was a foundational figure in Saudi modernism; Al-Saleem, who became notable for establishing the “horizonism” movement, characterized his work with a geometric depiction of the Saudi skyline and desertscape; Taha Al-Seban furthered the desert motif with his unique color compositions.

From there, it can be seen how abstraction has transformed into a crucial language in the cultural scene.

The exhibition seamlessly flows from the early beginnings with artists born in the 1930s and 1940s, whose work predominantly emerged in the 1990s. (AN Photo by Nada Alturki)

The exhibition continues to work from the early 2000s, engaging more with culture, identity and memory. There are artists like Abdulrahman Al-Soliman, also a critic, who infused architectural elements to bridge between heritage and contemporary expression; Abdullah Hamas, who reimagines the Saudi landscape through geometric compositions; Fahad Al-Hajailan, whose abstraction plays with color and movement; Raeda Ashour, one of the first female Saudi abstract artists, who adopts a minimalist yet evocative approach with a chromatic palette and fluid silhouettes. 

Then, at the turn of the 21st century, there is the work of artists born in the 1970s. Abstraction is now a conceptual tool.

Rashed Al-Shashai, known for his experimental approach, repurposes everyday materials to construct layered compositions that address the tension between tradition and modernity while, in contrast, Zaman Jassim’s abstraction interplays between the tangible and the elusive.

SRMG’s collection is on display as part of an exhibition titled “Collections in Dialogue,” featuring collected works by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and Hayy Jameel.


Art Week Riyadh: Coollect on a mission to ‘make art collecting cool again’

Updated 09 April 2025
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Art Week Riyadh: Coollect on a mission to ‘make art collecting cool again’

RIYADH: Art Week Riyadh, running until April 13, aims to spark a passion for collecting art in the heart of the capital. The event carries the tagline “a local art-collecting experience — anonymous displays, pure discovery.”

At the center of the initiative is Coollect, a pop-up exhibition curated by Jeddah-based Sara Alourfi, whose background spans a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from Switzerland and a master’s in curatorial management from Italy. Known for her sharp curatorial sensibility across contemporary art and fashion, Alourfi brings together a standout selection of emerging and established talent for this Art Week Riyadh

Coollect is a a pop-up exhibition curated by Jeddah-based Sara Alourfi. (AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)

The initiative is produced by atrum, an art consultancy dedicated to both curating exhibitions and supporting artists through its dynamic online platform.

“This is an activation by a company called atrum — an art company that offers art consultancy. They create exhibitions and support local artists with an online platform,” Alourfi told Arab News.

“Coollect is about making collecting cool again,” she told Arab News. “It’s about introducing the idea of collecting to the younger generation in Saudi. We wanted to break the fear of collecting … so we asked artists to submit artworks without any signatures and with different styles than they usually create.”

The artworks — anonymous and untitled — encourage viewers to engage without preconceived notions. (AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)

The artworks — anonymous and untitled — encourage viewers to engage without preconceived notions. All the participating artists contributed using mediums that differ from their usual work. Artists were also encouraged to use local framers and printers, reinforcing the emphasis on supporting the local ecosystem.

More than 120 artists have participated in the initiative. Some created new pieces specifically for the show, while others submitted works that challenge or expand their typical practice. “It’s a mix between emerging and established artists, and a mix between local, regional and international,” Alourfi told Arab News. “The youngest artist we have is actually 13 years old — but you wouldn’t know. You’d be surprised.”

Sales begin on April 12 and end on April 13. Prices, ranging from $133 to $2,130, will be revealed on-site, and buyers will only discover the identity of the artist after purchase. The price point is not indicative of the artist who made the work.

More than 120 artists have participated in the initiative. Some created new pieces specifically for the show, while others submitted works that challenge or expand their typical practice.
(AN Photo by Huda Bashatah)

The concept began nearly a year ago, with a focused artist selection process starting during Ramadan. Atrum promoted the initiative through WASM Studio and social media, resulting in a dynamic pool of talent.

“At atrum, we aim to break boundaries and think beyond the conventional — striving to constantly create new concepts to support the art ecosystem and give back to Saudi Arabia’s vibrant and ever-growing creative community,” Princess Sara Sultan Fahad Al-Saud, co-founder of atrum, told Arab News.

Alongside her and co-founder Nayfa Rayed Al-Brahim, the team of organizers also included Saudi artist Ziyad Alrogi.

On opening night, spectators wandered in and tried to guess who might have created which piece. Many established artists were seen viewing the works but they could not confirm nor deny whether their works were even included. It created an immersive and interactive setting.

“It’s truly heartwarming to see so many from our creative community come together to support and help bring this concept to life — not because they stood to gain anything, but simply because they believed in it,” Al-Brahim told Arab News. “Their willingness to be part of something bigger speaks volumes about the spirit of our community.”

Coollect is open now at JAX, where visitors can experience and explore the works before the sale opens to the public as the AWR finale.


Shanina Shaik attends 2025 Fashion Trust US Awards

Updated 09 April 2025
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Shanina Shaik attends 2025 Fashion Trust US Awards

DUBAI: Model Shanina Shaik and actress Sofia Boutella attended the 2025 Fashion Trust US Awards in Los Angeles this week for a ceremony which brought together designers, celebrities and industry figures to support and celebrate emerging fashion talent.

Shaik, who traces her ancestry back to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Lithuania and Australia, arrived in a sleek white gown by Cult Gaia.

The silk dress featured a cowl neckline and a floor-length, form-fitting silhouette. Tulle ties at the shoulders extended down both front and back, detailed with petal-like appliques. The gown included an open back design, with the floral embellishments continuing down sheer strands to the hem. 

Shanina Shaik wore a sleek white gown by Cult Gaia. (Getty Images)

The look was completed with minimal accessories — gold hoop earrings, neutral platform sandals and a slicked-back hairstyle. 

Meanwhile, Boutella, who is French Algerian, wore a striking red floor-length gown with a high neckline and soft, gathered pleats along the bodice. The dress featured loose, elbow-length sleeves and a cinched waist that flowed into a flared skirt. She paired the outfit with a metallic silver clutch. 

The Fashion Trust US Awards, presented by Google Shopping, celebrates emerging designers working across various disciplines, including ready-to-wear, jewelry and accessories.

Sofia Boutella wore a striking red floor-length gown with a high neckline. (Getty Images)

This year’s event was hosted by actress and singer Keke Palmer. 

Anthony Vaccarello received the Honorary Award, while other winners included Rachel Scott of Diotima for ready-to-wear, Dani Griffiths of Clyde for accessories and Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz of Beck for jewelry. Nana Kwame Adusei scooped the Sustainability Award while the Graduate accolade went to Parsons student Patrick Taylor. 

Winners received grants of $100,000-$200,000, along with mentorship opportunities through Fashion Trust US and Google Shopping.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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They were selected by the Fashion Trust US board and advisory panel, which included industry figures such as Jonathan Simkhai, Brandon Blackwood, Willy Chavarria, Jeremy Scott, Laurie Lynn Stark, Bob Mackie, Gaia Repossi, Francesco Risso, Chriselle Lim, Monique Lhuillier, Ugo Mozie, Bethann Hardison and Fernando Garcia.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by @fashiontrustus

Attending the ceremony were celebrities such as Lucy Hale, Becky G, Julia Fox, Maddie Ziegler, Kate Hudson, Heidi Klum, Hailey Bieber, Ciara, Julia Fox and Mandy Moore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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The evening also included a performance by singer Natasha Bedingfield.


Shashai Studio group exhibition shines light on Saudi creativity

Updated 08 April 2025
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Shashai Studio group exhibition shines light on Saudi creativity

  • Art Week Riyadh positions the Kingdom’s capital as a global cultural destination
  • Princess Al-Johara Saud Al-Saud: This piece reflects on how women have nurtured families and communities while holding societal roles that are often overlooked

RIYADH: Art Week Riyadh’s group exhibition in JAX District brings together a range of artists to celebrate heritage, spark conversations, and showcase the wealth of Saudi creativity, on view through April 13.

The Annual Salon at Shashai Studio is presenting a stunning tapestry of perspectives and artworks to celebrate individual artists and the art community under one roof.

The visual feast encapsulates the spirit of experimentation, encouraging conversations around identity, culture, and the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity.   

Visitors can get a look at the narratives woven through each piece of artwork.   

Among the standout pieces on display, Princess Al-Johara Saud Al-Saud’s artwork entitled “The Moon” symbolises the enduring strength and presence of women throughout history.

“This piece reflects on how women have nurtured families and communities while holding societal roles that are often overlooked,” she told Arab News. 

Utilizing natural sheep wool as a medium, the artwork underscores the ancestral skills of women in weaving and home-building.

“Women have always been the backbone of our society, supporting families, cultures, and traditions,” Princess Al-Johara explained. This tribute to women serves as a reminder of their multifaceted roles — from caretakers to creators, their contributions are invaluable.

Mona Bashatah, whose works explore ancient crafts of the Arabian Peninsula, discussed her recent project that depicts a fisherman — a character symbolizing the deep-rooted traditions of coastal life. 

“My art stems from the rich history of our region, focusing on the stories that need to be shared with the new generations,” she explained. Her pieces were not only visually stunning but also served as a medium for storytelling, connecting the past with the present.

“I chose to draw inspiration from mulberry bark paper from East Asia, bridging historical trade routes that linked our ancestors to lands far and wide,” she added. 

Her sketches present a narrative intertwined with themes of environmental pollution and cultural identity. The illustrations recount tales of shepherds and sailors who served as vital connections between Eastern and Western worlds.

They represent memories that modern generations may overlook, making her work both a celebration of heritage and a call for awareness.   

The artist also incorporated texts from poet Khalil Gibran, merging literature with art to deepen the emotional impact of her pieces. “My intention is to evoke a sense of belonging and pride in our history,” Bashatah noted. 

Studio founder and curator Rashed Al-Shashai spoke to Arab News on the significance of the exhibition and the importance of showcasing both emerging and established artists within the Saudi art community.

“We have cultivated an environment of cultural and artistic dialogue at Shashai Studio. This exhibition featured various artists, each with distinct techniques and narratives,” he said.

“This exhibition marks the culmination of a year’s worth of experimentation and collaboration.”

Visitors encountered pieces from notable artists such as Mazin Andijani an Arabic calligrapher, and Fatima Al-Attas, an innovative contemporary artist. 

The inaugural Art Week Riyadh is celebrating Saudi Arabia’s vibrant art scene, bringing together leading local and international galleries, cultural institutions, and arts entities under the overarching theme, “At The Edge.”

The week-long event is fostering exchange, dialogue, and collaboration, inviting art enthusiasts to explore themes of thresholds, liminality, and transitions in art and culture.

The program includes curated gallery exhibitions, rare displays of private collections, as well as talks, workshops, and performances.   

Organized by the Visual Arts Commission under the Ministry of Culture, Art Week Riyadh is a non-commercial platform designed to nurture, celebrate, and position Riyadh as a global cultural destination.

Drawing on the past and present as points of departure, it reimagines an interconnected global arts ecosystem that contributes to the Kingdom’s creative economy while inspiring the preservation of art collecting and patronage.